Acoustic speaker enclosure having a stacked construction

Abstract

An audio speaker enclosure comprises a plurality of structural layers or panels having openings which are in communication. Layers of damping material are interspersed between the structural layers, attenuating vibrations and preventing interaction between drivers in separate chambers. Additionally, the openings in the structural layers may vary, allowing the acoustic chamber behind the driver to have curved surfaces, thereby reducing resonance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio speaker enclosure comprising: a stack of structural layers including: a first plurality of structural layers having openings which are in communication and which define a first acoustically-shaped chamber; and   a second plurality of structural layers having openings which are in communication and which define a second acoustically-shaped chamber; and   a plurality of damping layers interspersed between the structural layers of the stack;   whereby the structural layers of the stack and the damping layers inhibit the transmission of vibrations between the first chamber and the second chamber.     
     
     
       2. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber is substantially spherical. 
     
     
       3. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second chambers are substantially spherical. 
     
     
       4. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structural layers of the stack have upper and lower major surfaces which are substantially planar. 
     
     
       5. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structural layers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of wood, particle board, plastic, and a fiber-reinforced polymer. 
     
     
       6. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damping layers comprise a material selected from the group containing rubber, latex, silicon, urethane, or neoprene. 
     
     
       7. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damping layers are alternated with substantially all of the structural layers. 
     
     
       8. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rods holding the layers together, the rods isolated from the first and second plurality of structural layers. 
     
     
       9. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stack of structural layers further comprises a third plurality of structural layers disposed between the first plurality of structural layers and the second plurality of structural layers and wherein at least one of the plurality of damping layers is interspersed between the structural layers of the third plurality of structural layers. 
     
     
       10. An audio speaker enclosure comprising: a plurality of structural layers comprising: a bottom layer defining a horizontal orientation and an upward orientation;   a plurality of first driver layers disposed above the bottom layer, wherein each first driver layer has an opening which is in communication with an adjacent opening of an adjacent first driver layer, the first driver layers defining a first driver port;   a plurality of isolation layers disposed above the first driver layers;   a structure defining a second driver chamber disposed above the isolation layers, the second driver structure having a second driver port in communication with the second driver chamber;   a plurality of damping layers alternated with at least the isolation layers, the damping layers comprising a damping material;   wherein the bottom layer, the openings of the first driver layers, and the isolation layers define a first chamber in communication with the first driver port; and   wherein the isolation layers and the damping layers inhibit transmission of vibrations between the first chamber and the second driver chamber.     
     
     
       11. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first chamber is substantially spherical. 
     
     
       12. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first chamber is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       13. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second driver structure comprises a plurality of second driver layers and a top layer disposed above the second driver layers, wherein each second driver layer has an opening which is in communication with an adjacent opening of an adjacent second driver layer, and wherein the isolation layers, the openings of the second driver layers, and the top layer define the second driver chamber. 
     
     
       14. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first and second chambers are substantially spherical. 
     
     
       15. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the damping material comprises a material selected from the group containing rubber, latex, silicon, urethane, or neoprene. 
     
     
       16. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the damping layers are alternated with substantially all of the structural layers. 
     
     
       17. An audio speaker enclosure as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a top layer disposed above the second driver chamber and a plurality of rods securing the top layer to the bottom layer, wherein the rods are isolated from the first driver layers. 
     
     
       18. A method for constructing an audio speaker enclosure, the method comprising: forming a plurality of structural layers of a rigid material, each structural layer having a lower surface, an upper surface, and a horizontal edge therebetween, a plurality of the structural layers having openings from the lower surface to the upper surface, at least one of the structural layers having an opening which extends to the horizontal edge;   forming a plurality of damping layers of a compressible elastomeric material;   stacking the structural layers with the damping layers interspersed between adjacent structural layers so that the openings are in communication, the openings together forming an acoustically-shaped chamber, the at least one extended opening forming a driver port in communication with the chamber; and   securing a second driver structure over the upper surface of a structural layer with a damping layer between the upper surface and the second driver structure.